Controller mechanism for turbines.



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CNTROLLER MEGHANISM POR TURBINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25. 1905.

WIT/VESSES:

FICE.

ALABA M A, ASSIGNOR 'FO-WI Lbr I NSON CONTROLLER NIECHANISM FOR TURBINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, `1906.

Application tiled January 25, 1905. Serial No. 242,621.

Be it known that'l. .Innes ll'iLKiNsoN, al

citizen of the l'nited rltates, residing at Bir niinghain. iii the county of Jell'erson and State of Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements,in Controller Mechanism for liirbines. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to controller mechan` ro ism for elastic-fluid turbines` having as its obiect to provide means whereby a set olE valves controlling separate nozzle-passages A can be adjustably connected together or to a common actuator and adapted to open or i5 close the nozzle-passages which they control in any desired manner. f

rThe highest ellieiency in the control of multiple-nozzle turbines is derived from governing means which fully open and close the zo several nozzles in a successive inaniiei' as the `load varies, regulating' the .supply b v coiiti'ollinir one or at most'a small iercentaife of the r\ i i nozzles.

v.It is the purpose of' my invention to pro- 2; i ducethis iegnlatioii by the use of a plurality oirota ry valves which are iiioveil simultaneously by a governing device and adapted, ac cording to their conformation oi' adjustment, to ivirroduce any desired control over the flow 36""of iiiiitor fluid through the nozzles.

ln its broadest .sense my invention contemplates the use of these valves to directly open and close the turbine-nozzles, in which case they may be operated by a governor, or the governor may move the valves by a relay power, or they may be moved by hand. ln itsl preferred form, however, these valves will control by fluid-pressure the operation of nozzle-valves. being therefore secondary or 4o controller valves. lleretofore such secondary valves have regulated the operation of the nozzle-valves by controlling their actuating lluid, which necessitated the provision of valvetl supply as well as exhaust passages for the valveeinotors.

plify this construction by utilizing the see ondaiy 'valves to control only the lexhaust of fluid-'pressure from the valve-motors to effect the operation of the 'valves, it-beiiig only 5o .necessary to valve an exhaust-port to carry thisintt'ietl'eet. f

My invention 4'comprises the contruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more It is my purpose to simfullydescribed, and illustrated in the aecompanying sheet of drawings, wherein is shown in its simplest form an embodiment of my controller mechanisiir for a` group of three fluid-actuated nozzle-valves;

vFigure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a controller-easing for a set of nozzle-valves, shown in elevation, the controllervalves being similar in construction and shown adjusted to producen successive operation of the nozzle-valves. Fig. 2 is a seotionalview taken along the line u. (l of Fig. 1. Figs.v 23 and 1 are partial sectional views of controller-valves corresponding to the soctional view shown in Fig. .2 and illustrating valves of different conformation indifferent positions relative to the exl1austport which they control. I

Similar refereneenumerals refer to similar parts throughout. Y

ln the drawings l have shown only .sufficient turbine construction-to illustrato an embodiment of my invention, it being understood that?` the saine is applicable to any type of turbineutilizing a plurality of independentlwcontrolleil' nozzle passages or sections to discharge motor fluid against a bucket elementl or rotor-wheel. Thus in the drawings I show in partial section a supply-head 1 for a turbine of the impact axial-flow type provided witha set of three nozzles 2, leading from a valve-chest 3,' which 'is supplied through a port 4 with motorlluid pressure from any suitable source.l 'lhese nozzles discharge the llnid at an acute angle agaii'ist a bucket-wheel 5, having buckets 6 securedto its periphery. A controller-casing is superimposed above the valy-'e-ehest and provided with three chambers 7, forming cylinders for the actuating-pistons 8 9 10 for the reciprocating nozzle-valves 11. These Valves are operated bv said pistons and seat against the beveled inlet ends of the nozzles 2, acting, without intermediate operating positions, to open or close the same. The pistons are alsoibeveled and engage tapering seats 12, above which are formed recesses 13 for the reception of coiled springs .14, which tend to close the valves 11. At their upper ends these recesses 13 open through ports 15 into an elongated circular valve-seat 16, which opens above through a narrow7 slot 17 into an 1o exhaust-chamber 18, provided with a port. 19

, outer end.

and preferably forme/d in the controller-casportions of the valve, as indicated 25J1 and ing. In Fig. 2 I show a diaphragm 20,bolted to head 1 and serving to divide the turbine into stages.

When pressure is admitted to the lvalvechest, it tends to open the nozzle-valves and `to enter the cylinders above the valves through small p'assages-2'1 in the pistons.

The pressure will maintain them open so long' as there is -a free exhaust of the. pressure above the pistons, which prevents the balancing of the valves by the accumulation of high pressure above the pistons. As soon as the combined power of the spring and pressure above a valve exceeds the pressurebelow the valve the latter isclosed. Springs of considerable power will be used not onl for the lpurpose of holding the valves firmly to their seats, but also to increase the readiness with which the valves respond to the controller-pressure, for the stronger the spring the less pressure required above the valve to close it.

I provide valve means to control the exhaust ot pressure from above the pistons, utilizing three elongated rotary valves 22 23 24, disposed end to end within the seat 16 and provided with cylindrical end portions between which lthe valves are reduced to form segmental portions 25. These .valves may be adjustably connected to each other, but are preferably mounted upon a bolt 26. IVhen in position, the end valves project through stulling-boxes 27 beyond the easing. The circular ends of the valves seat substantially pressure-tight with their seat and prevent the exhaust of pressure from any cylinder whose controller-valve covers a portion of the slot 17, opposite the reduced part of the valve 'through which the cylinder is exhausted', as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The valve 22 is collated at 2S and has a governor or hand-actuated crank 29, connected to its A nut 30 on the bolt 26 locks t-lie valves in any desired position thereon; but this may be eli'ected by set-screws or otherwise.

' The contri)ller-valves when in their closed position are unbalanced by the pressure above the nozzlevalve pistons and held against their seats with sullicient force to prevent leakage. VVhen open, however, the valves are balanced. In Fig. 1 wherefvthe several controller-valves are of' similar conformation, I have shown them arranged so as to produce a successive action ot the nozzlevalves.` This arrangement is indicated by the notches $31, which when they register indicate that the valves will open and close the exhaust from their respective cylinders at the saine time. It will be noted that the valves are set with their notches at relatively increasing distances apart. A similar successive action of the valves may be obtained by varying the construction ot the controller 25b in Figs. 3 and 4, for Where the peripheral width of the controller portions are different they can act with the same eiofec't as where the controller portions are similar, but ad- 7o justed in'advance of each other.' 'It desired, valves in this latter case can be also adjusted on the bolt 26 or they maybe mounted ri idlythereon. The advantages of adjustabity, however, are of importance, since they enable the relative arrangement of the valves to be slightly altered until they act to regu, late in any desired successive manner. Thus if the valves be set in the position..shown in Fig. 1 and after an extended test it is found 8o that they regulate within a four'l-per-cent. speed variation under a given travel of the governor-actuated crank 29 the set of valves may be withdrawn from the circular valveseat and adjusted so that the successive opening of their nozzle-valves is secured with` in a smaller range of travel of the crank, and thus the valves may be made to regulate within a two-per-cent. speed variation. The

narrowness of the" controller portion 25 of the 9o valves prevents them becoming too much unbalanced to be easily controlled, it being considered advisable to hold them firmly to their seat to prevent the wear which results from leakage of pressure between the valve and its seat. Since the several controller-valves are operated together, they are being continually exercised, though the regulation is done by but one. This preserves the valves and their seat and prevents sticking or unequal wear. roo

The passages through the pistons are very small and the total amount of leakage therethrough will not be large nor the eliiciency of the `tin'bine materially effected thereby, in

view of the fact that this pressurev may be utilized either in a low-pressure stage -or to serve some useful purpose in connection with the turbine, suoli as superheating.

The set of these valves shown is merely illustrative, it being understood that my invention is applicable to any desired number' of valves which may be arranged in oneor more groups, each of ivliicliv'ill be controlledby a separate set of independently-adjustable valves. The controller-valves may be I I5 set to operate two or more nozzle-valves simultaneously or on any desired order. lt is therefore the purpose of my invention to protert, broadly, the use otra set of independent secondary valves which control the opeiation of nozzle-valves by acting to eut oil conimunication between them and exhaust-pres sure, also a set of rotary valves adjustably connected to a common actuator and acting either to directly control the admission ol" y motor fluid to nozzles or to control through the instruinentalityoi'a relaypoiier,suehas fluid-pressure, the operation ol' valves which act to open and close the tiirliiiie-iiozzle.

The mechanism shown is applicable lor 13o cinese stage-valves as Well as supply-valves, and haust-pressure means, the operation of said the secondary valves may be used to control nozzle-valves of any desired type.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

' '1. In an elastic-fluid turbine, a number of valves controlling the flow of motor fluid Y `through nozzle-passages, duid-pressure nioy,tors to operate said valves, and secondary valves interposed between said motors and an exhaust-pressure, Which cause said turbuie-valvesv to be opened or closed by cut-' ting their motors into or out of communication with said exhaust.

o 2. In a turbine, a number of nozzle-passages, fluid-pressure-controlled valves there- 1for,and secondary valves controlling 'exhaust-ports only for the valve-actuating 'lluid to cause the nozzle-valves to open or close in any desired manner.

. 3. In a turbine, a number of nozzle-passages, valves therefor, fluid-motors to actuate said valves, a port through4 which pressiire is exhausted from each motor, and overnor-controlled valves for said ports w ich control said nozzle-valves by regulating the exhaust from their motors.

4.v In a turbine, a number of nozzle-passages', a rotor against which fluid is discharged by said passa es, a number of valves for saidpassages,flui -motors to actuatesaid valves comprising c linders open at one end to high at the other to an exhaust, -means to cause said high pressure to establish itseliI lin the exhaust end' of said' cylinder, and a number of controller-valves-Which re ulate the exhaust of pressure from said cydinders.

5. In a turbine, a. number otnozzle-pas-q sages through which motor fluid is directed'V against a rotatable element, anuinber of rctary valves controlling the flow of motor fluid through said passages, and means to move saidvalves together, said valves being adapted to successively open or close said passages.

6. In a multiple-nozzle turbine, nozzle-passages, a set of rotary valves controlling the flow of luid through said passages, means to I'nove said valves simultaneously, and means to adjust said v alves to produce any desired successive opemng or closing of said passages. 7 In an elastic-fluid turbine, a number of nozzle-.passages adapted to discharge motor duid against la rotatable element, a set of rovalves adjustably connected 'together tai/ an .adapted to be movedsiinultaneously by hand or governor to edectany desired successiveopeningor closing ofsaid passa es.

8. In an elastic-fluid turbine, a num er'of nozzle-passages adapted to discharge motor fluid against a rotatable element, fluid-actuated valvesy ior saidpassa'ges, and a set of rotary controller-valves for controlling, by exvfor the. exhaust of nozzle-valves.

l9. In an elastic-fluid turbine, a number oi' nozzle-passages adapted to discharge motor fluid against a rotatable element, fluid-actuated valves tor said passages, 4controller means forfsaid valves comprising a group of rotary valves, adapted to be simultaneously moved by a common actuator,'ivliicli control by fluid-pressure means the operation otsaid nozzle-passage valves.

l0. Y In an elastic-fluid turbine, a number of motor-fluid induction-passages, valves therefor, fluid-motors to operate said-valves, a portfor the exhaust of fluid-pressure trom Asaid motors, and a number of governor-con-- trolled rotary valves acting to control said nozzle-valves by regulating 'the exhaust. of fluid-pressure from their respective motors.

. 11. In an elastic-fluid turbine, a number of motor-fluid induction-passages, valves ti'ierefor, fluid-motors to o )crate said valves, ports duid-pressure from said motors which enter a common valve-chainber, and a governor-actuated valve means to successively open saidports. y

12.- In an elasticefluid turbine, a number-ot motor-fluid induction-passages, valves therefor', fluid-motors toioperate said valves, ports for the exhaust of fluid-pressure from said motors, anda multiported valve device adapt- `ed to successively open or close said ports,

thereby controlling tlie'operation of said firstmentioned valves.

13. In an elastic-Huid tiirbine, fluid-induction passages, fluid-'preesule-controlled valves therefor, and a controllerineans comprising a multiported'valve device and a number of conduits for valve-controlling fluid-pressure, the ports in said valve device and the conduits with .which they are adapted to register being so arranged relativelyas' to produce a successive registering ot said ports with said conduits, as said device is mov ed. 14. In an elastic-Huid turbi: ie, luid-induc tion passages, iluid-pressure-controlled Valves therefor, a number oi conduits for valvecontrolling fluid-pressure, and a compound valve device for said conduits which has adjustable parts to eect a successive opening or closing of said conduits.-

.. 15. In an elastic-duid turbine, fluid-indue tion passages, fluid-pressure-controlled valves trolling fluid-pressure, a com oiiid valve device therefor having adjustab e controller portions which may be set to open orclos'e said ders Wlic communicate at one end'with said IOO "therefor, a number of conduits for lvalve-con supply-passage, and at the other with an exhaust-passage, valves for said. nozzles, pisp tonsfor operating said valves Which mqve 1n said cylinders a multiple-valve device for successively opening communication be tween sald cylinders and exhaust, and governor .means to actuate said device.

A 17. In an elastic-fluid turbine, the combination With a number of nozzles, and pistonactuated valves therefor, of a Huid-pressure controller mechanism comprising a casing formed `Wlth cylmders for said pistons and with an exhaust-passage, ports leading from said cylinders to said exhaust-passage, a comm'on valve seat intersecting said exhaust-- ports, a lset of secondary valves disposed in said seat end to end, and means to actuate said latter valves.

18. In combination'with a multiple-nozzle turbine having luidressure-actuated nozzle valves, a control ercasing comprising ports leading from the valve-actuating devices and communicating with an exhaust, a valve chamber intersecting said exhaustports, a rotary valve-controller means in said chamber, which is removable through a side openin in, said casing.

19. n combination with a multiple-nozzle turbine having iuid-pressure-actuated nozzle valves, a controller casing comprising ports leading from the valve-actuating devices and communicating with an exhaust, a

. valve-chamber intersecting said exhaustports, a' number of-rotary valves disposed end to end in said chamber, means to actuate said valves, and means to adjust them to open and close said exhaust-ports successively.

20. In an elastic-fluid turbine, a number of induction-nozzles, piston-actuated valves for said nozzles, cylinders for said pistons exposed below to the motor-fluid pressure and above to an exhaust through valve-Controlled ports, means to provide for the slow admission -ofvhigh pressure above said pistons,

springs tending to seat said valves, a number of controller-valves for the exhaust of said cylinders, 'and a common actuator for said controller-valves Whichmoves them simultaneously.

2l. In 'an velastic fluid turbine, a mot'orfluid supply chamber, a .plurality'of induction-passages leading from said chamber and adapted to discharge the fluid against a rotatable element, a controller-casmg provided with a number of cylinders, pistons therein exposed below7 to the pressure in said sup lychamber, means to permit a restricted gow of said high pressure above said pistons, valves operated by said pistons forI controlling the How of iuid'throug'h said passages, springs tending to close said valves, anda number of secondary valves which control- 23. In a controller-casing for a number ofl I nozzle valves, motors for actuating said valves, exhaust-passages leading from said motors through the controller-casing to anh exhaust-pressure, a number of rotary valves adjustably connected to each other, a seat for said valvesleading vthrough said casing and intersectingsaid passages,` and means to operate said valves.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set presence of tWo, subscribing witv my hand in nesses.

JAMES WILKINSON. Witnesses:

A. R, FoRsYTH, Nonna WELSH. 

